teelack

I have eaten twice in the last week and the food was fine. Thai lady seemed happy with hers. The only thing that I commented on was that the service staff were inconsistent. They have lost the level of professionalism that they had in the past. This is never easy to put a finger on as it is a collection of small things. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Not sure but this might kill the Pommie Trade. The English might be the biggest users of Bed and Breakfast in the world. It is a tradition and is similar to the boarding houses of Pattaya. Without these many English in times past would never have been able to afford a holiday. I never stayed in an English hotel until I could afford to pay for it myself.

Of recent years I have had two incidents that were on the verge of violence but in the end we simply walked away from it. One was a "Dangling smoker" I often run into these guys. They inhale and then dangle their smoke as far away from their face, clothes or girlfriend as possible and that is often under the nose of some innocent. I also moved the ashtray under his nose. Both my complaint and the ashtray move bought forth a string of invective. The other was a guy sitting in a gogo bar with three empty seats and he was loath to share them. Seems that over the course f the evening he had been buying lady drinks and was holding onto the real estate should any three of them return at the same time and got horribly pissed that I wanted one of them. I guess that both these were matters of principal for both parties but I simply take it as a bloody liberty.

Cannot help think that this is a misnomer. Its not the tattoo shop surely, its the tattoo artist. I also assume that each shop has people of varying skills. I also assume that like all other trades in Pattaya that the tattooists are constantly on the move. All in all I can see this being based on the luck of the draw.

I am right in my understanding of this post? Has Cambodia changed to the Thai style of thirty days FREE on arrival for the listed countries? Last time there I paid $US 25 and had to have photographs. If this is the case then this makes the place a little more attractive.

LOL well I thought it bloody funny! Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

A year or two ago a very wealthy and prominent NZ business man was off loaded from a local flight. His sin was that he would not pay attention to the flight attendants request that passengers take note of the flight instructions. While this sin is committed by most of us it still goes to show who is in charge.

As usual a good start to the day. Considering that you only write up the bizarre, rediculous, wierd and examples of Thai logic, you have a job for life. Thanks. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

As usual, your walks spoil us. Some really good stuff. Thanks for the time and effort.

As predicted the United fiasco has started to have positive results. I copied this off the Internet this morning. Delta Air Lines has increased the payouts its airport agents can offer passengers on overbooked flights, moving to prevent a public relations nightmare similar to the one plaguing United Continental Holdings Inc. Customer service agents will be able to offer passengers as much as $2,000 (NZ$2858) when they’re asked to give up a seat on an oversold flight, up from $800 (NZ$1143), according to a memo seen by Bloomberg. Managers can offer as much as $9,950 (NZ$14,220), more than seven times the previous cap of $1,350, the memo dated April 13 says. The new policies come in the wake of a controversy that enveloped rival United this week, after law enforcement officers dragged a passenger off a United Express flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky. The passenger, David Dao, was already seated on the plane and refused to give up his seat to make room for a United crew member who needed to fly. The incident made worldwide news and led to questions about why the airline didn’t simply offer Dao more money to leave the plane. Delta spokesman Anthony Black confirmed the authenticity of the memo, but declined to comment further. United earlier this week said it would review its policies regarding overbooked flights and announce results of the review by April 30. The company reiterated its plan Friday after the contents of the Delta memo were reported. The memo also gives customer service agents tips on how to best deal with oversold flights, including looking for passengers with other options for non-stop flights. Agents are advised to contact managers if compensation above is needed, the memo says. It does not address the United controversy.

Thanks for the great TR. I may never get there but your excellent photography got me a bit nearer

In one way I see this as being a win for all fflyers. I note that all airlines that I travel with tend to get slack and lazy and the crews forget why they are there. This is a wake up call for airlines generally that flyers have rights and should be treated decently. It also reminds all of us that there will be a camera waiting to take down every gory detail. This is a win-win for consumers and a billion dollar hit at the valuation of the airline.

The topic heading mentioned a PR Disaster. Sitting by the beach in far off New Zealand I was regaled with this story on the news. Just assuming that someone here was flying around the USA, would they book that airline. Who cares who else does this type of thing. The whole thing appears to be an international disaster and I would hope that every airline takes notice and sorts their attitude to customer service. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

I always recall a restaurant in Newcastle on Tyne that sold genuine Indian food. Curry and chips. I thought that the race were lucky buggers getting chips every day of the week. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Don't forget that Singapore has the Floors of Whores. Actually, other than the price of accommodation, food and booze it is an ok destination for 24 hours. They have a great tourist bus option that not only does the city but also includes Sentosa Island which is worth half a day. An evening in Geylang can also be entertaining. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Thai food is a trade off in that the price and quality as so variable. For a really cheap, tasty and good meal I have to recommend the dozen restaurant centre in Soi Buakhao beside the small market 50 metres from the funny bend in the road. I have never had a bad meal from there and never paid as much as a 100 baht, There is also a booze bar with rock bottom prices.

Read my post Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

Has anyone used the Over Seventies desk? I believe that this is to the far right hand side of the immigration area and is also used by wheel chair passengers as well. As I understand it the queue is short and quick. I have never bothered with it but have been told by a number of people that it is a good service for the golden oldies. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

... and Jacko from a country where there is no actual booking office. I just spoke to a Chinese lady in Hong Kong on their 0800 number. As far as I can work out this means that I cannot use the vouchers for flights from my home country as I cannot book direct. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

For me a enforced stop was where I was unable to fly from Hong Kong to Bangkok because the international plane I was on was running late and as it was the last one of the day I was put up in the airport hotel. The reasons for the vouchers is contained in my recent trip report. I have realised that there is no booking office for Cathay in my country and the only ways I can see of using these vouchers is to fly again with Cathay (the prices are going to have to fall a lot before that happens) and use them for duty free or list them on an online sales site and hopefully get fifty cents in the dollar.

Hi there and thanks Butch. I will follow up on your thoughts. It would solve every thing if I could get duty free in the airport. I did however think after posting to put the query on Google and find that I am not the only person frustrated with vouchers like this. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

As reported recently in my trip report I had an enforced stop over in Hong Kong. When I got home I sent a complaint into them about the miserly HK $75 for meals and lo and behold they sent me $US 100 in service vouchers. I believe that there a number of boardies that fly Cathay or Cathay Dragon I wonder if they have any ideas how I can use these vouchers for other than international flights? I managed to get a one off special fare from them last time but normally they are twice the price of my usual carriers. I am unlikely to use them again in the near future and wonder if anyone had found a better/different use for them?

I wonder if this is as bad as it sounds. There are quite a few punters out there sending money on a monthly basis to their loved ones in Pattaya. I sometime think (from some personal experience) that when a girl sees the opportunity to move into her boyfriends hotel that this is a great holiday for her. Lets face it hustling in a bar, getting groped nightly, or doing the freelance scheme in Insomnia must get to be hard work at times. Nothing better than to over eat, swim, laze by the pool and have a few drinks a fit the odd shag into the days holiday routine. I think that there are a few people who could save a buck and getter a better deal by buying a plastic Barbie.

Worth a listen for sure. Thanks for posting.

So far this hasnt impacted on me but I amsure that there will be a catch up. I suspect that this ban and other like it will continue to be implemented and should there be one proven bombing of a Western based plane then it is a sure thing. The question that I as is do bans like this really matter? I am aware for instance that immigration in the US has gone tough and that some people resent it but get on with the changes. Getting through airports world wide are tougher now than they were but again, we have to just get on with it. I hear people grumbling in Bangkok about taking their belts off and removing their trainers but the locals are in charge so we get on with it. I now realise that I need to keep my mobile charged and try to have as many addresses as possible in it so that if I am off loaded I can keep in touch should I have a lap top or not. I have been putting my lap top in my suitcase for some while now on my return home. It was becoming too much to carry my 7 kg bag, laptop and also three bottles of duty free booze. I also have a phone stoppage battery in my carry on (for how long?) should I be delayed and need a charge. Complaining about this is a waste of time and energy. The rules will inevitably become tougher rather than easier. If you want a lap top on your travels you may simply have to allot space in your suitcase. If you are travelling from many parts of the world to the USA you need to get to the airport earlier and possibly expect to be delayed. It was even suggested here last week that you wrote your most needed contacts on your arm with pen before leaving home as you might be delayed longer than you think. This is the world that we have inherited.